Meta Slams Australia’s Proposed Social Media Tax
“Our position is clear: this law is poorly designed, grossly unfair, and will fail to deliver a diverse and sustainable news industry,” said Meta, the $1.6 trillion parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The reaction came after Canberra unveiled the News Bargaining Incentive (NBI), under which Meta, Google, and TikTok would face a tax. Revenue collected “would be distributed to local news organizations based on the number of journalists they employ,” according to a broadcaster.
Under the Labor government’s plan, Meta would need to reach agreements with local media outlets or face taxes of up to 2.25% of its Australian revenue. Australia is also the first country to ban social media access for children under 16.
Meta argued that the legislation “will leave Australian journalism dependent on a government-administered subsidy regime while doing little to help smaller publishers and independent journalists.” The company reiterated its stance in a formal response to Canberra, repeating: “Our position is clear: this law is poorly designed, grossly unfair, and will fail to deliver a diverse and sustainable news industry.”
Earlier in 2024, Meta withdrew from a 2021 agreement and ended Facebook News services in Australia, signaling its resistance to government-imposed funding models.
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